REPORT TO THE AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT; CONTRACT FOR CHILEAN CENTRAL MACROZONE STUDY REVIEW; PROJECT NO. 598-15-995-044

THE PROJECT HAS GENERATED A SERIES OF USEFUL POLICY SUGGESTIONS WHICH ARE WORTH CONSIDERATION BY ODEPLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION, AND IT HAS SERVED TO MAINTAIN A VITAL LINK BETWEEN THE CHILEAN GOVERNMENT AND A HIGH QUALITY UNIVERSITY RESEARCH UNIT. IMPORTANTLY, THIS WORK LEADS TO THE HOPE THAT A PATTERN OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT MAY BE SET IN LARGE CONTEXT, IN WHICH LOCAL POLICIES, SUCH AS DEVELOPED BY THE ESTUDIOS PRE-INVERSIONALES, MIGHT BE EVALUATED. FINALLY, IT HAS RAISED THE LEVEL OF DISCOURSE OF URBAN POLICY AND REGIONAL PLANNING, AND HAS PROVIDED AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR THE CONTINUED STUDY OF THESE PROBLEMS BY RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS AND PROFESSIONALS. IN ACCOMPLISHING THESE OBJECTIVES AT THIS TIME IN CHILE, THE STUDY NECESSARILY TOOK A METHODOLOGICALLY-CONSERVATIVE POINT OF VIEW. BY SO DOING, THE PROJECT TEAM ASSURED THE PRODUCTION OF USEFUL RESULTS IN THE FACE OF OBSTACLES AND UNCERTAINTIES RAISED BY CONDITIONS OF RAPID CHANGE IN THE COUNTRY. THIS APPROACH, HOWEVER, CAUSED THE PROJECT TO AVOID CERTAIN CRUCIAL POLICY ISSUES. THE EVALUATORS MADE FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO CIDU AND FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO USAID.